music to be subversive to:best punk albums of the 80's

Compiled by both myself and my co-blogger the turtle, a list of the best punk albums of the 80's, one for each year, annotated accordingly. Your opinion may vary. In fact, we’re quite sure it does.

1980

The Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
The shock of the Sex Pistols had worn off and the Ramones were too likeable, so this album became the official music to shock my parents with. I really thought mom would get a kick out of Viva Las Vegas. Viva Las Vegas (mp3)

1981

Adolescents s/t
This was a great album. Raw stupid and dumb. But songs like "I hate children" still run in the background of my head today. When you see a little kid in a store just screaming at his mom...I Hate Children automatically pops in your head.I Hate Children (mp3)

1982

MDC s/t
Take about ten hits of speed, mix it with a gallon of anger and a pound of pissed off adrenaline and then light it all on fire and stand in the flames. That’s how this album feels.I Remember (mp3)

1983

Minor Threat - Out Of Step
What can you say? The definition of an era. They broke a scene by building it back up. It wasn't so much the music as the lyrics that changed me. Cause aren't we all out of step with the world? It Follows (mp3)

1984 SNFU - And No One Else Wanted To Play
Driving to a ditch to skate. Hearing "She's Not on the Menu" wondering who the fuck this band is while screwing down your trucks is something that hits you. This album is classic in all ways. Plus Chi Pig brings toys on stage! You can't fucking beat that. She's Not on the Menu (mp3)

1985

7 Seconds - Walk Together Rock Together
Taken from the same folds as Minor Threat, the unity yells and unite calls were something a scene needed at that time. Great album with a great message - if we can't stand together, we will fall apart. Plus it fucking rocks. Remains to be Seen (mp3)

1986

Bad Brains - I Against I
I was working in a record store and this semi-stupid guy I worked with said he was going to put on the new Bad Manners album for us to listen to and I was like, meh quirky ska, who needs it? But what he put on was this album and I remember when it was over saying it was the music listening equivalent of multiple orgasms. I Against I (mp3)

1987

RKL - Rock and Roll Nightmare
Great dudes. Although one might say they are the Iron Maiden of punk rock. This record brought fun back into punk. Made you laugh and think which is a rarity in punk. Beautiful Feeling (mp3)

1988

Suicidal Tendencies - How Can I Laugh Tommorow When I Can Even Smile Today
This album made me alternately feel like I wanted to kill myself or slam a random stranger in the face with the bottom of my doc marten. I never did either, but I still have plenty of time and this album on vinyl.How Can I Laugh (mp3

No matter what you think of each album, you can't deny that it had some impact on either your life or someone else's life. 'Cause if it didn't, fuck, we wouldn't be doing it. Have fun and feel free to add your owns because we aren't perfect.

Comments

the X albums, the fIREHOSE albums, the Minutemen ones. I was never much of a DK fan. Always seemed the biggest jerks i knew were rabid DK fans, so its an association thing. These are all great ones that you guys listed though, fer sure.

The MDC is very accurate, DK's just got a lot of hype for sounding like Feederz without the talent for starting riots... ultimately, they were new wave at 78 rpm -Minor Threat basically told thier fans to fuck off with the release of Out of Step and upon further reading about Ian, he wasn't as straight as he claimed at the time (his words). Adolescents is also right on, a true sign of the early early eighties, the change in Punk, the ultimate crossover album. Black Flag was done before they ever had an official release (yes, I'm one of them!) I'm not even gonna get into the Suicidal thing. Seven Seconds were a bit late... the skate explosion was considerably earlier than '85 and although the album brings back som e fond memories, they were kinda corny.
The Misfits were truly a remarkable piece of Punk rock history... Jerks had so much going on especially considering (arguably) Kieth played a big part in Black Flag's sound as well. GBH, because if any one band can be used to explain the complexity of UK hardcore, its them. They had one up on us and we made it! And Michele... Michele... X. X Should have been the top of the list, Zoom alone was huge.

I can dig it Michele... It is really tough to come up with a best list, i don't think I could -
But the Germs, right place right time?? Not according to the Weirdos who were covering their tunes (considerably better I might add) before the Germs ever released a recording. That goes beyond lucky.
Legendary.